Healio (10/27, Herpen) reports, “Pain, sleep and mood disorders were the most commonly found comorbidities among those with narcolepsy, with chronic pain being more than twice as likely to occur compared with matched controls,” researchers concluded after conducting “an electronic health record search between 2000 and 2020 to identify 2,057 individuals…who sought initial treatment for narcolepsy.” Also included in the study was a “separate control cohort of 2,057 participants” that “was propensity-score matched by birth year, age at initial treatment, sex, race, ICD code and mortality.” The findings were presented in a poster at the American Neurological Association’s annual meeting.

Related Links:

— “Pain, sleep, mood disorders most common comorbidities in patients with narcolepsy “Robert Herpen, Healio, October 27, 2022

Kaiser Health News (10/27, Andrews) reports, “Almost three years after the” COVID-19 “pandemic upended workplaces, mental health coverage remains a priority for employers, according to an annual employer surveyfielded by KFF” that revealed that almost “half of surveyed large employers – those with at least 200 workers – reported that a growing share of their workers were using mental health services.” Nevertheless, nearly “a third of that group said their health plan’s network didn’t have enough behavioral” healthcare professionals “for employees to have timely access to the care they need.”

Related Links:

— “Employers Are Concerned About Covering Workers’ Mental Health Needs, Survey Finds “Michelle Andrews, Kaiser Health News , October 27, 2022

Healio (10/26, VanDewater) reports, “Midlife women with a history of infertility or involuntary childlessness had more depressive symptoms, particularly before menopause, and anxiety after menopause, compared with women without infertility,” according to researchers who “analyzed 16 years of follow-up data from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN).” The study findings were presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Scientific Congress & Expo.

MedPage Today (10/26, D’Ambrosio) reports the findings also showed “a history of infertility or involuntary childlessness was not associated with increased vasomotor or vaginal symptoms during the menopausal transition.”

Related Links:

— “Infertility, involuntary childlessness linked to midlife depressive, anxiety symptom “Kalie VanDewater, Healio, October 26, 2022

MedPage Today (10/26, DePeau-Wilson) reports, “Young women with autism had a higher risk for psychiatric disorders than young men with autism,” investigators concluded. The study revealed that “between the ages of 16 and 25, 77 of 100” women with autism “and 62 of 100” men with autism “received at least one psychiatric diagnosis.” Compared with men, women with autism “had statistically significant standardized risk differences for any psychiatric disorder…which was larger for anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.” The findings were published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Related Links:

— MedPage Today (requires login and subscription)

Healio (10/26) reports, “According to a recent poll conducted by the American Psychiatric Association” and announced in an Oct. 17 press release, “75% of Americans said mental health support should be provided to incarcerated persons.” The survey data were derived “from the latest Healthy Minds Monthly poll commissioned by the APA” and “included 2,111 adults, who responded between Sep. 30 and Oct. 2.” In the release, APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, MD, MPA, stated, “Lawmakers should heed this information and take action.”

Related Links:

— “Poll: 75% of Americans believe incarcerated persons should get mental health support “Shenaz Bagha, Healio, October 26, 2022